Patents by Inventor Helmut Erdl
Helmut Erdl has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Publication number: 20190285239Abstract: A lighting apparatus for a motor vehicle has a lighting module. The lighting module includes a laser light source for generating laser light, the laser light source having one or more laser diodes. The module includes an optical device onto which the laser light is incident and which is designed such that it generates a predefined symbol in the surroundings of the motor vehicle. The optical device has one or more holographic optical elements which are substantially non-absorbent to the laser light and which are designed to effect interference of the laser light by phase modulation thereof in order to generate the predefined symbol. The module includes an actuator system for moving at least one part of the lighting module. The actuator system has one or more actuators. A control device actuates the actuator system during operation of the illuminating device such that the position of the predefined symbol relative to the motor vehicle and/or the shape of the predefined symbol are changed by the actuator system.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 31, 2019Publication date: September 19, 2019Inventors: Helmut ERDL, Abdelmalek HANAFI
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Publication number: 20190283666Abstract: A lighting apparatus for a motor vehicle has a lighting module. The lighting module includes a laser light source for generating laser light. The laser light source has one or more laser diodes. The lighting module also includes an optical device on which the laser light is incident and which is designed to generate a defined symbol in the surroundings of the motor vehicle. The optical apparatus includes one or more holographically optical elements which are substantially non-absorbent to the laser light and which are designed to produce an interference of the laser light by phase modulation thereof in order to generate the defined symbol.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 31, 2019Publication date: September 19, 2019Inventors: Helmut Erdl, Abdelmalek Hanafi, Lenja Sorokin
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Patent number: 10239441Abstract: An illumination device for a motor vehicle includes a light source constructed of a number of semiconductor diodes, and an optical device for generating a predefined light distribution from the light of the light source. The optical device is arranged in a housing. The illumination device is characterized in that the light source is rigidly connected to the housing. At least one optical waveguide is provided for guiding the light of the light source to the optical device.Type: GrantFiled: October 2, 2014Date of Patent: March 26, 2019Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AktiengesellschaftInventors: Helmut Erdl, Abdelmalek Hanafi
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Publication number: 20180245762Abstract: The invention relates to a lighting apparatus for a motor vehicle, which includes one or more light sources and an optical device that is configured such that a first light distribution is produced in an intermediate image plane from light beams originating from the one or more light sources, and in that a second light distribution in the form of a target light distribution is generated in front of the illumination apparatus from the first light distribution. The optical device also includes one or more spatial phase modulators on which at least one light beam from the light sources is incident and which are electrically drivable, to variably set a phase modulation of the at least one light beam which is incident thereon.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 27, 2018Publication date: August 30, 2018Inventors: Helmut Erdl, Abdelmalek Hanafi
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Patent number: 9964271Abstract: An illumination device for a motor vehicle includes a light source constructed of a number of semiconductor diodes which generate light in a first predetermined wavelength range, and a conversion layer on which a light beam generated from the light of the light source falls and by which the light beam is changed into a converted light beam. The light of the light beam is converted into a second predetermined wave length range by a converting material. The illumination device is designed such that a predetermined light distribution from the converted light beam is generated at a distance from the illumination device. The illumination device is characterized in that a structure having one or more walls with a predetermined depth in the direction of the thickness of the conversion layer is provided in at least one partial region of the surface of the conversion layer.Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 2014Date of Patent: May 8, 2018Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AktiengesellschaftInventors: Helmut Erdl, Abdelmalek Hanafi
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Patent number: 9827900Abstract: A method is provided for operating a headlight having a laser light source in a motor vehicle. The headlight generates a light distribution from the light of the laser light source. The laser light source is activated such that the operating power of the laser light source is switched from a first power value to a deactivated operating state or is lowered to a second power value when the speed of the motor vehicle falls below a first speed threshold. The operating power of the laser light source is increased from the deactivated operating state or from the second power value to the first power value, when the speed of the motor vehicle exceeds a second speed threshold, which is greater than or equal to the first speed threshold.Type: GrantFiled: August 15, 2014Date of Patent: November 28, 2017Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AktiengesellschaftInventors: Stefan Weber, Helmut Erdl, Johannes Aulbach
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Patent number: 9752745Abstract: An illumination device for a motor vehicle includes a light source consisting of a number of semiconductor diodes, and a scanner onto which a light beam obtained from light of the light source falls and which modifies the position of the light beam during operation of the illumination device and thereby moves a light spot produced by the light beam at a distance from the illumination device. The moved light spot allows a predetermined light distribution to be generated. The illumination device is designed such that the scanning speed at which the light spot is moved, the scanning path along which the light spot is moved, and/or the size of the light spot can be varied and is/are controlled to generate the predetermined light distribution.Type: GrantFiled: October 2, 2014Date of Patent: September 5, 2017Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AktiengesellschaftInventors: Helmut Erdl, Abdelmalek Hanafi
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Patent number: 9689548Abstract: The invention relates to a lighting device for a motor vehicle, where the light device includes a light source having a plurality of semiconductor diodes, and a scanning device onto which light from the light source is incident and which generates a temporally varying deflection of the incident light from the light source during operation of the lighting device and thereby generates a predetermined light distribution at a distance from the lighting device. The scanning device has at least two separately controllable scanners, onto each of which a separate light beam generated from the light source is incident, the deflection of which beam is temporally varied by the respective scanner.Type: GrantFiled: June 17, 2015Date of Patent: June 27, 2017Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AktiengesellschaftInventors: Helmut Erdl, Abdelmalek Hanafi
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Patent number: 9562660Abstract: A lighting device for a motor vehicle includes one or more lighting units, herein during operation a respective lighting unit generates a point-shaped light source via laser light. In addition, optical device is configured and arranged with respect to the lighting unit or lighting units in such a way that a predetermined distribution of light composed of the light of the point-shaped light source is generated after it passes through the optical device.Type: GrantFiled: April 18, 2014Date of Patent: February 7, 2017Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AktiengesellschaftInventors: Helmut Erdl, Abdelmalek Hanafi
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Patent number: 9243767Abstract: The invention relates to an LED light module (1) for a motor vehicle or for a headlamp for a motor vehicle, wherein the light module (1) comprises a lens (2) and at least one primary LED light source (8). A light tunnel (11) for direct passage of at least a portion of the light emitted from the at least one primary LED light sconce (8) is provided between the at least one primary LED light source (8) and the lens (2), viewed in the direction of the light emission. The light of the at least one primary LED light source (8) emerging through the light tunnel (11) is projected via the lens (2) to generate a main beam function or a contribution to a main beam function in the region in front of the motor vehicle. The light tunnel (11) is formed from a material that is transparent at least in some areas, preferably in the whole area thereof, and a holder (3) for holding the light tunnel (11) is provided, wherein the holder (3) is transparent at least in some areas, preferably completely transparent.Type: GrantFiled: December 13, 2011Date of Patent: January 26, 2016Assignee: ZIZALA LICHTSYSTEME GMBHInventors: Markus Danner, Helmut Erdl
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Patent number: 9188726Abstract: A lighting device for a motor vehicle, includes a light guide for total-reflective guiding of light along a direction of light propagation. The light originates from at least one light source and can be coupled-in via at least one coupling surface on one end face of the light guide. The light guide further includes a coupling-out surface disposed along the direction of light propagation for coupling out light that exits from the light guide where the total-reflection condition no longer exists at the exit surface disposed along the direction of the light propagation. The lighting device is characterized in that the at least one light source, the light from which can be coupled in on the at least one coupling-in surface, is a laser light source.Type: GrantFiled: April 18, 2014Date of Patent: November 17, 2015Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AktiengesellschaftInventors: Helmut Erdl, Abdelmalek Hanafi
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Publication number: 20150285457Abstract: The invention relates to a lighting device for a motor vehicle, where the light device includes a light source having a plurality of semiconductor diodes, and a scanning device onto which light from the light source is incident and which generates a temporally varying deflection of the incident light from the light source during operation of the lighting device and thereby generates a predetermined light distribution at a distance from the lighting device. The scanning device has at least two separately controllable scanners, onto each of which a separate light beam generated from the light source is incident, the deflection of which beam is temporally varied by the respective scanner.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 17, 2015Publication date: October 8, 2015Inventors: Helmut ERDL, Abdelmalek HANAFI
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Publication number: 20150078026Abstract: A vehicle headlight includes a low beam light module and a appearance light module, which are embodied, arranged and designed such that, in a low beam mode, less than 30% of the light intensity emitted by the vehicle headlight with respect to a vertical orientation above the light-shadow line and with respect to the horizontal orientation in the direction of travel, is generated by the low beam light module.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 21, 2014Publication date: March 19, 2015Inventors: Helmut ERDL, Andreas KALTENBACH, Ulrich HENSELER
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Patent number: 8974099Abstract: A vehicle headlight having a plurality of semiconductor emitters for the alternative production of a low-beam light distribution and a daytime driving light distribution is provided. For producing the low-beam light distribution, a low-beam light luminous surface is generated by the vehicle headlight. For producing the daytime driving light distribution, a daytime driving light luminous surface is generated by the vehicle headlight. The low-beam light luminous surface and the daytime driving light luminous surface are essentially identical.Type: GrantFiled: March 13, 2012Date of Patent: March 10, 2015Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AktiengesellschaftInventors: Sebastian Morgenstern, Stefan Danner, Christopher Weil, Helmut Erdl
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Publication number: 20150055359Abstract: An illumination device for a motor vehicle includes a light source constructed of a number of semiconductor diodes which generate light in a first predetermined wavelength range, and a conversion layer on which a light beam generated from the light of the light source falls and by which the light beam is changed into a converted light beam. The light of the light beam is converted into a second predetermined wave length range by a converting material. The illumination device is designed such that a predetermined light distribution from the converted light beam is generated at a distance from the illumination device. The illumination device is characterized in that a structure having one or more walls with a predetermined depth in the direction of the thickness of the conversion layer is provided in at least one partial region of the surface of the conversion layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 30, 2014Publication date: February 26, 2015Inventors: Helmut ERDL, Abdelmalek HANAFI
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Publication number: 20150055668Abstract: A method is provided for operating a headlight having a laser light source in a motor vehicle. The headlight generates a light distribution from the light of the laser light source. The laser light source is activated such that the operating power of the laser light source is switched from a first power value to a deactivated operating state or is lowered to a second power value when the speed of the motor vehicle falls below a first speed threshold. The operating power of the laser light source is increased from the deactivated operating state or from the second power value to the first power value, when the speed of the motor vehicle exceeds a second speed threshold, which is greater than or equal to the first speed threshold.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 15, 2014Publication date: February 26, 2015Inventors: Stefan WEBER, Helmut ERDL, Johannes AULBACH
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Publication number: 20150016135Abstract: An illumination device for a motor vehicle includes a light source consisting of a number of semiconductor diodes, and a scanner onto which a light beam obtained from light of the light source falls and which modifies the position of the light beam during operation of the illumination device and thereby moves a light spot produced by the light beam at a distance from the illumination device. The moved light spot allows a predetermined light distribution to be generated. The illumination device is designed such that the scanning speed at which the light spot is moved, the scanning path along which the light spot is moved, and/or the size of the light spot can be varied and is/are controlled to generate the predetermined light distribution.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 2, 2014Publication date: January 15, 2015Inventors: Helmut ERDL, Abdelmalek HANAFI
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Publication number: 20150016134Abstract: An illumination device is provided for a motor vehicle, including a light source consisting of a number of semiconductor diodes, and a scanner onto which a light beam produced by light of the light source falls and which modifies the position of the light beam during operation of the illumination device and thereby moves a light spot generated by the light beam at a distance from the illumination device. The moved light spot allows a predetermined light distribution to be generated. The illumination device is characterized in that a beam delimiting device, which allows the cross-section of the light beam to be delimited along a predetermined boundary, is provided between the light source and the scanner. The illumination device is designed in such a way that one or more light-shadow lines can be formed in the predetermined light distribution by way of at least one section of the predetermined boundary.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 2, 2014Publication date: January 15, 2015Inventors: Helmut ERDL, Abdelmalek HANAFI
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Publication number: 20150016133Abstract: An illumination device for a motor vehicle includes a light source constructed of a number of semiconductor diodes, and an optical device for generating a predefined light distribution from the light of the light source. The optical device is arranged in a housing. The illumination device is characterized in that the light source is rigidly connected to the housing. At least one optical waveguide is provided for guiding the light of the light source to the optical device.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 2, 2014Publication date: January 15, 2015Inventors: Helmut ERDL, Abdelmalek HANAFI
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Publication number: 20140226359Abstract: A lighting device for a motor vehicle, includes a light guide for total-reflective guiding of light along a direction of light propagation. The light originates from at least one light source and can be coupled-in via at least one coupling surface on one end face of the light guide. The light guide further includes a coupling-out surface disposed along the direction of light propagation for coupling out light that exits from the light guide where the total-reflection condition no longer exists at the exit surface disposed along the direction of the light propagation. The lighting device is characterized in that the at least one light source, the light from which can be coupled in on the at least one coupling-in surface, is a laser light source.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 18, 2014Publication date: August 14, 2014Applicant: Bayerische Motoren Werke AktiengesellschaftInventors: Helmut ERDL, Abdelmalek HANAFI